]]>There are a lot of things that I enjoy about summer. I love the sun coming up early to motivate me to wake up and get moving. I love summer evenings spent at our local ice cream shop.

Days at the pool, weekend camping trips, and Popsicles rate pretty high up there, too. What do I DISLIKE about summer? That’s pretty easy…the heat, the sweating, and the constant battle with my skin! Summer skin care can be challenging! Well, I am up to the challenge and I put together this easy Rosemary Mint Facial Toner to improve my summer skin care routine!

The biggest problem I have during the summer is that my face tends to be rather oily compared to my dryer, winter skin. The constant sweating, combined with regular application of sunscreen has a tendency to clog pores. And when pores get clogged, acne soon follows! The easiest way to unclog those pores is to use some sort of astringent or facial toner on a regular basis. While searching for DIY facial toners I could make at home, I came across a number of them that use fresh herbs. That sounded very appealing since my back yard is loaded with fresh herbs right now!

There are a lot of herbs that can be beneficial for summer skin care but the two that really appealed to me were rosemary and mint. Mainly because those two herbs are extremely prolific in my garden and I love the smell of them! Mint has anti-inflammatory properties which means it can take some of the redness out of insect bites or acne. It also helps get rid of blackheads which will result in a clearer complexion. Rosemary contains a wide array of nutrients such as iron, calcium, vitamins and antioxidants. It helps nourish the skin and improve circulation. There are dozens of uses for rosemary and it is incredibly easy to grow. I suggest you plant some this spring! If you are hoping to improve your own summer skin care routine, I encourage you to give this DIY facial toner a try. If you don’t care for rosemary and mint you could do a bit of research for other herbs that are beneficial to the skin.

The process for creating this DIY facial toner is simple: Just steep the herbs in 1 cup of almost boiling water for 10 minutes (just like if you were making tea!). Strain the herbs out and let it cool. When the herb infused water is cool, add anywhere from a few tablespoons to a 1/4 cup of witch hazel (the oilier the skin, the more witch hazel you use). This facial toner can be applied with a cotton ball or spritzed directly onto the face from a glass spray bottle (close your eyes!). Store it in the refrigerator for a refreshing burst of ‘cool’ when you clean your face! You can leave a sprig of mint and rosemary in the jar when you store it for a bit of added ‘umph’ to your facial toner!

DIY Rosemary Mint Facial Toner

Yields 1 1/4 cups

DIY Rosemary Mint Facial Toner

This DIY facial toner is a great addition to your summer skin care routine!

Ingredients

1 cup almost boiling water

1/4 cup mint leaves

2 to 3 TBSP rosemary needles (fresh)

Witch Hazel ( anywhere from 2 TBSP to 1/4 cup depending on how ‘strong’ you want this astringent!)

Instructions

When water is almost boiling, pour over the mint and rosemary in a glass bowl

Let mixture sit for 10 to 15 minutes

Strain herbs out of the water

Let cool to room temperature

Add Witch Hazel ( 2 TBSP or up to 1/4 cup). The more you add the more ‘drying’ this will be.

Store at room temperature for a week or in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

]]>http://elles-beauty-blog.com/summer-skin-care-made-easy-diy-rosemary-mint-facial-toner/feed/0How to Camouflage Dark Circles – Correct Usage of Concealerhttp://elles-beauty-blog.com/camouflage-dark-circles-correct-usage-concealer/
http://elles-beauty-blog.com/camouflage-dark-circles-correct-usage-concealer/#respondFri, 13 Jan 2017 17:21:56 +0000http://elles-beauty-blog.com/?p=543The concealer helps you camouflage dark circles, because before you get rid of dark circles, whatever method you use (natural, surgical, medical, etc.) you need to know how to camouflage them. This is the reason why make-up professionals invented the concealer or corrector.

]]>The concealer helps you camouflage dark circles, because before you get rid of dark circles, whatever method you use (natural, surgical, medical, etc.) you need to know how to camouflage them. This is the reason why make-up professionals invented the concealer or corrector.

How to Camouflage Dark Circles – Correct Usage of Concealer

What is important is that you choose the right shade of the concealer or corrector in order to obtain the wanted result and camouflage dark circles successfully.
There are two shades you can use, depending the dark circles color. For bluish circles use a yellow shaded concealer/corrector. While for the earthy dark ones use a pink shaded concealer/ corrector. Ideally with some micro illuminators particles,thatreflect the light.
To obtain maximum result when you want to camouflage the under eyes baggs, beside the concealer shade, the application itself is also quite important. Apply it in little dots and tap it without rubbing, so you obtain a uniform application around your eyes.

]]>http://elles-beauty-blog.com/camouflage-dark-circles-correct-usage-concealer/feed/0Homemade Natural Translucent Powderhttp://elles-beauty-blog.com/homemade-natural-translucent-powder/
http://elles-beauty-blog.com/homemade-natural-translucent-powder/#respondFri, 13 Jan 2017 16:59:27 +0000http://elles-beauty-blog.com/?p=540I am beyond excited to share my latest DIY find with you, homemade all-natural translucent powder! I heard about this from a friend and thought it was worth a whirl…and it’s amazing. Can you tell I am RAVING about it!?!?! I have super oily skin and this stuff blots the oil right out, stays put …

]]>I am beyond excited to share my latest DIY find with you, homemade all-natural translucent powder! I heard about this from a friend and thought it was worth a whirl…and it’s amazing. Can you tell I am RAVING about it!?!?! I have super oily skin and this stuff blots the oil right out, stays put all day AND looks and feels totally natural. Perfect right?

PLUS!! It’s SO cheap! I got all these ingredients at Whole Foods for less than $10 and it’s gonna last a lloooonnnnggg time!!

You will need organic cornstarch and French green clay. You can also tint a little with organic cocoa ( I like it).

Cornstarch is sometimes used in makeup because it offers great oil absorption. It is not a drying agent, it just absorbs what’s there. So if you have dry skin, don’t be afraid It does have a shelf life, so make a note of that (1 year or longer). I’ve read a few places that it could possibly irritate skin or cause acne, but I’ve had no such problems…in fact, my acne is better.

French Green Clay is often used in resorts for facials and spa treatments. It’s pretty great at absorbing dirt, oil and bacteria while being gentle on pores.

So easy to make, with only 3 ingredients ( green clay, baking cocoa and organic cornstarch), you will obtain a natural translucent powder that will stay put all day. On greatoakcircle website you can find all you need to know about how to make it. You can also find the benefits of each used ingredients. For the recipe visit Source.

*tip: I use an organic moisturizer with SPF before putting this on. Most makeup these days has SPF, but this doesn’t…so protect yourself friends!

]]>http://elles-beauty-blog.com/homemade-natural-translucent-powder/feed/0Make Your Own Green Concealerhttp://elles-beauty-blog.com/make-green-concealer/
http://elles-beauty-blog.com/make-green-concealer/#respondFri, 13 Jan 2017 16:47:12 +0000http://elles-beauty-blog.com/?p=537A green concealer is what you need if you have red sports on your face or you have acne. It is great in covering this kind of problem. But you shouldn’t use it to cover bruises or dark circles. Beside buying a green concealer, there is always the option of making your own. Here is …

]]>A green concealer is what you need if you have red sports on your face or you have acne. It is great in covering this kind of problem. But you shouldn’t use it to cover bruises or dark circles. Beside buying a green concealer, there is always the option of making your own. Here is a natural recipe of how to make your own green concealer.

This product is prepared in several phases and it is important to respect the instructions and the quantities used for each ingredient. Only in this way you can obtain the best green concealer ever.

Make Your Own Green Concealer

For phase one you will need the followings:

3.5 g zinc oxide;

3 g rice powder;

mat pigment – 2 tsp green; 2 tsp yellow; ½ tsp black and ½ tsp red

For phase 2 you will need the following ingredients:

3 g black cumin oil;

5 g mango butter;

For phase three you will need the followings:

0.5 g beeswax

For phase four (and the final) you will need the followings:

2-3 drops tea tree essential oil

1-2 drops Vitamin E

In a recipient mix and grind very well the ingredients used in the first phase. You need to mix them for 3-4 minutes until you obtain a homogenized paste.
On top of this put the ingredients used in the phase two and mix very well until you obtain again a homogenized and smooth cream.Now is time to transfer the cream in a hear resistant recipient and add the beeswax from phase three. Prepare everything at bain-marie until it is melted.
Take it away from the heat source and add the ingredients from phase four. Then pour it all in a concealer recipient.

Follow these instructions and you will obtain a perfect homemade green concealer: covers redness, offers UV and anti-inflammatory protection.

]]>http://elles-beauty-blog.com/make-green-concealer/feed/0Homemade Mascara: All Natural and Eye Friendlyhttp://elles-beauty-blog.com/homemade-mascara-natural-eye-friendly/
http://elles-beauty-blog.com/homemade-mascara-natural-eye-friendly/#respondFri, 13 Jan 2017 16:36:50 +0000http://elles-beauty-blog.com/?p=534Homemade is always better, at least this is what the hippie homemade lovers like me believe 😀 And after I have started to make some of my beauty products at home (like powder foundation, blush, eyeliner) is time for a new basic make-up product: mascara.

]]>Homemade is always better, at least this is what the hippie homemade lovers like me believe And after I have started to make some of my beauty products at home (like powder foundation, blush, eyeliner) is time for a new basic make-up product: mascara.

On thankyourbody I found an interesting homemade mascara recipe based on coconut oil, aloe vera gel, charcoal and bees wax that will help you separate, darken and moisturize your eyelashes.

]]>http://elles-beauty-blog.com/homemade-mascara-natural-eye-friendly/feed/0How to make a homemade wrinkle creamhttp://elles-beauty-blog.com/make-homemade-wrinkle-cream/
http://elles-beauty-blog.com/make-homemade-wrinkle-cream/#commentsFri, 06 Jan 2017 09:57:14 +0000http://elles-beauty-blog.com/?p=487When it comes to preventing wrinkles, most women do 3 things: clean the make-up every night, use a anti-aging face cream (or 2- one for day and one for night) and prepare face masks. While this is a good routine, I don’t really get why the anti-aging creams are store bought, full of chemicals. First …

]]>When it comes to preventing wrinkles, most women do 3 things: clean the make-up every night, use a anti-aging face cream (or 2- one for day and one for night) and prepare face masks. While this is a good routine, I don’t really get why the anti-aging creams are store bought, full of chemicals. First off, they are expensive and second, they are damaging the skin. The natural ingredients in homemade wrinkle cream can nourish, moisturize, heal, clean, attack wrinkles and tighten…in short, they rejuvenate mature, damaged, dry and wrinkled skin.

There are a few specific ingredients you can use when making wrinkle creams. To make the most effective ones you must use only natural, fresh and ripe ingredients. Besides the recipes, I will share with you, you can very carefully experiment with these specific ingredients and design your own signature wrinkle cream. Every skin acts differently to different ingredients.

How to choose the right ingredients for your wrinkle cream?

Vitamin A

Vitamin E

Apple & juice

Shea butter

Avocado oil

Banana

Beeswax

Egg white

Carrot

Carrot seed oil

Cocoa butter

Coconut oil

Comfrey

Cucumber

Emu oil

Grapes

Sage

Hazelnut oil

Honey

Jasmine

Lavender oil

Kelp

Turmeric

Myrrh

Orange oil

Papaya

Parsley

Patchouli

Pineapple core

Pomegranate

Rice bran powder

Rosehip seed oil

Rose oil

Grape seed oil

Sea buckthorn oil

Apricot kernel oil

Strawberries

Tea; green, red, black

Tea tree oil

Tomato juice

Macadamia oil

Sweet Almond oil

Evening primrose oil

Basic wrinkle cream

Although many people claim that all the above ingredients are very efficient, top bloggers say you can apply one of the specific homemade wrinkle cream ingredients alone on your facial skin. The most appreciated and effective ones are:

Pineapple core

Green grapes

Coconut oil

Vitamin E and/ or A oil

Almond oil

Directions:

Coconut oil

Finally you could use warm coconut oil, it’s very beneficial in your battle against wrinkles. Slightly warm up some coconut oil (not too hot!) and gently apply this to your face. Again you have to find out which amount is right for you.

Vitamin E and/ or A oil

Another useful method is to put some drops of vitamin E and/ or A oil on your skin before you go to sleep at night.

Almond oil

Apply just a few drops of almond oil to your facial skin, then wet your hands with warm water and massage the oil into your skin. You will have to find the right amount of oil for your situation.

Wrinkle 1 ingredient face masks:

Pineapple core

Or you can gently rub a pineapple core on your face, leave it for 10-15 minutes and wash it off with fresh cold water.

Green grapes

You could also gently rub your facial skin with green grapes. Simply cut them in half and apply it, especially to the crows feet or wrinkled skin parts. Leave it on for 20 minutes, wash it with lukewarm water and end with a splash of cold.